Loneliness
by Invader Phoenix
Summary: Lonley. That horrible feeling that makes you feel like nothing. What he needed was a friend. He just didn't know it. ZADF oneshot. Birthday present for lostlives12.


**Lostlives, I wanted to write you something for your birthday. As my BFF, I decided to make something about friendship. I hope you like it. Happy birthday. :)**

**-bak602**

**NOTE: NOT A ZADR STORY. **

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><p>Zim didn't understand friendship.<p>

And who would expect him to, after living life the way he did? Trained as an Irken Invader, an elite soldier who showed no mercy, how could he comprehend showing that kind of caring to someone? Sure, Invader Skoodge was his friend, but Zim did not return it well. The kind of love one showed a friend, that strong, sound trust and will to aid one another, Zim didn't have that kind of affection in him.

But today, he needed it.

The rain poured outside in sheets. It was enough to dampen the spirits of anyone, even the 'unstoppable death machine' that was Zim. He sat by the window, depressed. He'd allowed GIR to go out for the day, but that, of course, was before it started raining.

Before Zim had gotten lonely.

The late afternoon sun could not be seen behind the thick blanket of gray clouds. The merciless rain splashed against the sidewalk. The drops fell in an endless downpour, and they seemed to mock his solitude. The melancholy atmosphere of his empty house did not at all improve his mood. Zim sighed. Though he often liked peace and quiet, this was awful. The house, cold and cruel, did nothing but deepen the hole in his heart.

How had this happened? By no means, in all his time as a soldier, even in the most hideous form of training, did ever he feel this badly. It wasn't just sadness, it was… emptiness. He'd always had someone getting in his way when he wanted to be alone, but now… he wanted someone beside him. And even though he was as safe as he could possibly be, he had never felt like he was so close to falling into that pit of worthlessness.

Zim buried his head in his hands as the rain fell with even more force.

He snapped his head up at the sound of a light tap at his door. Dismissing the sound as part of the rain, he returned to his state of depression. Then it came again, a bit harder. Once again it was ignored. The tapping turned into a banging, and the words, "Come on! Let me in!"

Zim knew that voice. And he wanted to tear its owner apart.

He stomped over to the door and swung it open with extraordinary force. There was no mistaking the venom in his voice as he snarled, "What do _you_ want?"

Dib recoiled at Zim's tone, but quickly regained his composure. "Uh, I was just… Trying to get past your base's defenses. I thought that the rain might damage them…" His voice was a bit ashamed, as if embarrassed that he was caught. He was telling the truth. If Zim was weak to water, maybe his house's security system wouldn't work quite as well, either. Then he could sneak inside, hijack Zim's latest plan for world domination, and stop his enemy once again. "But the rain poured even harder before I even crossed the lawn. No one can stay outside in this weather." He gestured to the slightly flooded street. "I… can I come in?"

Zim glowered at his enemy with the utmost malice. How dare he ask for help? "No. I'm busy."

Dib looked the Irken up and down. His ruby eyes were ringed with dark bags, as a human's would if he were extremely exhausted. His Invade uniform was creased messily, but all in all, he looked more tired and sickly than busy.

The human boy simply raised an eyebrow.

Zim held his foe's gaze for a long time, both of them frozen in a spiteful glare. But when Dib began to quiver weakly with the cold, be finally decided to relent. "Fine. Come in." Besides, maybe he could destroy the human from inside his base.

Dib entered and sat on the couch hesitantly. This was just far too awkward. He shivered. He was freezing. "Can you turn the heat up?"

"No," Zim replied coldly.

Suddenly the boy sat up and cocked his head at Zim. The tiny Irken was seated in front of the window, his head resting on his fist. Depressed.

"What's wrong with you?"

"None of your buisness."

"Fine, whatever! Don't snap at me for trying to make conversation."

Zim turned his head a few degrees toward Dib. "I don't want conversation with you, worm-pig."

A silence spread through the chilly room as the enemies sat quietly. Finally Zim spoke up. "Why do you always waste your time trying to beat me? I'm going to take over this FILTHY planet. There's no use even trying. And yet you always come here and flaunt your parachuting junk in my face. Don't you have anything better to do?"

"I do it because you need to be stopped. No matter how many times I lose, I just have to keep trying. The earth is at stake." The determination and pride in Dib's answer was unmistakable. Not too unlike…

"Thinking like a soldier," Zim muttered.

Dib looked at the ground. "Y'know, you look awful. What on earth were you doing?"

"Nothing."

"Don't try going to cover up-"

"I'm not covering up anything!" Zim shouted across the room.

Dib sat still for a moment. "Wait, so, you're not lying? Why would you be dumb enough to tell me?"

Zim sighed. "There's no harm in telling you. There's no risk in having my plans discovered, nothing. Nothing to come of nothing."

"I guess that… kinda makes sense." A new thought dawned in the boy's mind. "You could try to get me to trust you for a minute by giving harmless information, and then destroy me."

The Irken gave a light laugh. "Like I said, you're thinking like a soldier. Trust no one."

Dib sat quietly. "Wait, if you don't trust anyone, then who do you fight for?"

"Your loyalties and trust lie in the same place. They go hand in hand."

"You're contradicting yourself."

"YOU LIE!"

"No, really. Trust no one, but your trust and loyalties lie together? So you shouldn't trust or be loyal to anything?"

"FINE! BE LOYAL TO SOMETHING AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING YOU CAN TRUST!" Zim screeched. "So, you trust your planet and, what else?"

Dib thought for a moment. "My family, I guess."

"What about those, eh, what do you call them? Little dirt-monkeys children always are with?"

"Friends," Dib said dejectedly. "I… I don't have any."

Zim raised his antennae. "Why?"

"Because I'm always doing something they don't like. Trying to stop you, trying to prove me paranormal theories, but they all just think I'm crazy."

"Well, you are."

"Gee, thanks, that lightened my mood."

"You're welcome."

"I was being sarcastic."

"LIAR!"

"FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" Dib shouted.

Zim was silent for a moment. "I don't have these 'friend' things, either."

Dib lifted his head in shock. Why would Zim share that with him?

The Irken turned back toward the window again and sighed. "You hyoo-mans have absolutely no respect for an elite soldier such as ZIM. That throwing of the cafeteria poisons, the taunts, the kicking, the tripping in the hall, the HORRIBLE things you do," he paused and shook his head. "I'm no fool. None of you like me, and these 'friend' things are just something I don't have."

"You lie."

Zim turned his head abruptly to see Dib… _smiling _at him.

"What nonsense are you-"

"You have me."

The foes stared at each other as the thoughts registered in each of their heads. They actually were a lot alike. Outcasts determined to see something through.

Zim returned the smile of his, dare he say it, friend. "And you have me."

Suddenly the door swung open, and a tiny little android carrying a greasy Krazy Taco bag leaped into the room, shedding his doggy suit. And both o' yous got meh!"

Friendship. It was something neither Zim nor Dib had truly experienced.

But things change.

Even enemies.


End file.
